Clothes dryer



NOV- 5 1957 P. M. LoRl: 2,812,068

cLbTHEs DRYER Filed sept. e, 1955 ATTEA/E YS nited States Patent CLOTHES DRYER Peter M. Lord, Sandy Hook, Miss.

Application September 6, 1955, Serial No. 532,696

1 Claim. (Cl. 211-100) This invention relates to drying frames or racks, from which laundered garments, sheets, etc., may be suspended for drying of the same.

Summarized briefly, the invention comprises an upstanding support post, and pivotally connected to said post so as to extend outwardly therefrom is a main support arm, having a longitudinal series of transverse openings in selected ones of which branch arms are removably engaged. The branch arms are so designed as to support a plurality of clothes pins at locations uniformly spaced along the length of the branch arms, so as to permit garments or other articles being dried to be suspended between adjacent branch arms. The branch arms are adapted to be easily removed, and the main support arm is capable of being swung to a lowered position, thus to permit the device to occupy a minimum of space when not in use.

Among important objects of the invention are the following:

To provide a dryer of the type stated which will be so designed as to be usable either indoors or outdoors, the dryer being swiftly attachable to or detachable from an associated vertical support such as a room wall, post, etc.

Second, to provide a device of the type stated which will be characterized by the ready adjustability of the branch arms to selected locations, and further by the use of any desired number of branch arms according to the needs of the particular situation;

Third, to provide a dryer which will afford maximum drying space in a minimum amount of area when the same is in use;

Fourth, to provide a dryer of the type referred to which will be so designed as to permit clothes pins to be more or less permanently associated with the respective branch arms, in positions in which the clothes pins of one branch arm will be aligned with corresponding clothes pins of the adjacent branch arm, for suspension of garments therebetween; and

Fifth, to provide a clothes dryer which will be particularly adapted for inexpensive production, thus to increase the commercial feasibility thereof.

Other objects will appear from the following description, the claim appended thereto, and from the annexed drawing in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views and wherein:

Figure l is a perspective View of a dryer formed according to the present invention, in position for use, the lower portion of the support post being broken away;

Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional View through one of the branch arms, on line 2 2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the inner end of one of the branch arms;

Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional view on line 4--4 of Figure l, illustrating the means for detachably connecting the branch arm to the main support arm, the main support arm being illustrated fragmentarily, in longitudinal section;

Figure 5 is a somewhat diagrammatic top plan view of 2,812,068 Patented Nov. 5, 1957 the device as it appears when in use illustrating the arrangement of the suspended clothes or other articles relative to the branch and main arms;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary elevational View, portions being broken away, of one of the branch arms showing one type of garment support clip that may be associated therewith; and

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 in which a conventional clothes pin is illustrated upon the branch arm.

Referring to the drawings, in detail, designated at 1t) is an upstanding post, having for a substantial part of its length a longitudinal slot 12 the upper end of which is terminated adjacent the upper extremity of the post. The post 1) is adapted to be secured to any adjacent surface, such as a wall W (Figure 5), and by means of a suitable mounting screw, the post lil can be attached either to a wall or to an outside clothes post or other support surface, thus facilitating the use of the dryer both indoors and outdoors, as desired.

Adjacent the upper end of the slot l2, a pivot pin 16 extends transversely of the slot, and yimmediately above the upper end of the slot, there is provided a wing bolt i8, adapted for connection to the associated post-supporting surface.

A main arm 14 is disposed with its inner end in the upper end portion of slot 12, the pivot pin 16 extending through the main arm, thus mounting the main arm for vertical swinging movement between a horizontal, extended position shown in Figure l, and a lowered, vertical position in which the main arm is fully collapsed into the slot l2, thus to permit storage of the device in a minimum area or alternatively, insure that the device will occupy a minimum amount of space when not in use for drying garments or other fabric articles.

To support the main arm in its extended position, there is provided a brace bar Ztl, pivotally mounted at 22 upon the post 10, the free end of the brace bar being removably engageable in an obliquely disposed recess 24 formed in the underside of the main arm i4. To lower the main arm, it is merely necessary that it be raised slightly to disengage the 4rbrace therefrom, after which the brace is swung downwardly, vthe main arm then being also swung downwardly against the post 10.

Formed in the main arm, over the full length thereof, are uniformly spaced transverse openings 26 of rectangular shape, and these openings are adapted to receive the inner ends of branch arms 28. The branch arms project laterally, outwardly in opposite directions from the main arm, and it will be understood that any number of branch arms can be used, three being illustrated purely by way of example. Further, the branch arms can be disposed in any desired openings, and thus, one can regulate the space between adjacent branch arms to any extent desired, for a purpose to be made presently apparent.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, means is provided for removably engaging the branch arms in the selected openings 26. Said means includes a detent assembly at the inner end of each branch arm, said assembly including a transversely extending sleeve 30, in which is confined a compression spring 32 bearing at its ends against ball elements 34, the elements 34 projecting partially through openings provide-d in endvwalls of the sleeve. Plates 36 are embedded in the opposite surfaces of the openings 26, and are centrally indented 35 to receive the projecting portions of the wall elements.

By reason of this arrangement, the inner end of any selected branch arm can be extended into any selected opening 26, and when this is done, the ball elements will snap into the indented plates 36, to hold the branch arm detachably assembled with the main arm 14.

Formed in each branch arm, and extending for substantially the full length thereof, is a longitudinal slot 38,

closed at its opposite ends. As shown in Figure 2,- communicating with the opposite side walls of the slots are transversely aligned bearing openings 40, and extending through said openings are pins 42. A conventional clothes pin can be supportedupon each pin, or alternatively a clip 46, formed from a length of, Wire material` and having outwardly turned free ends 47 facilitating insertion of a portion ofv a garment, canl be suspended from the pin or rivet 42.

By reason of this arrangement, the clothes pins of anyA branch arm will be aligned transversely ofA the branch arm withcorresponding clothespins of an adjacent branch arm. Further, the clothes pins may be left permanently assembled with the branch arms, so as to be disposed ready for use whenever garments are` to be hung upon the device.

In use of the device, and assuming for example that sheets are to be supported therefrom as well as smaller garments, the branch arms at one side may be spaced a substantial distance apart, as shown at the right in Figure 5. Sheets designated at 48 can then be extended between the branch arms at said side, and may be folded in half when suspended', so that they will be properly folded when they are removed following drying of the same. Atthe other side of the device, additional sheets 48 may be suspended, between widely spaced branch arms, and an additional branch arm may be employed, spaced a relatively short distance from the adjacent branch arm, to support diapers 50. It will be readily seen that the arrangement and number of branch arms can be selected Within a wide range of different arrangements, so as to permit the clothes dryer to be used for supporting garments or other fabric articles of various sizes and shapes. Further, the device is so designed as to quickly facilitate the adjustment and removal of the branch arms, and therefore one might, if drying a large number of small articles such as socks, dispose a substantial number of branch arms on the device, in closely spaced relation. Alternatively, if only large articles are to be suspended, only a few branch arms might be used, spaced a great distance apart. The versatility of the device thus becomes readily apparent, as well as the ease with which the device is prepared for a particular usage thereof.

It is believed apparent that the invention is not necessarily confined to the specific use or uses thereof described above since it may be utilized for any purpose towhichit may be suited'. Nor is the invention to be necessarily limited to the specific construction illustrated and described, since such construction is only intended to be illustrative of the principles, it being considered that the invention comprehends any minor change in construction that may be permitted within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A clothes dryer comprising an upstanding post having a longitudinal slot; a main arm having one end extending into said slot, said end of the main arm being pivotally connected to thepost, the main` arm being swingable between a lowered positionI within the slot and an upper position in which it projects laterally, outwardly from the post; brace means removably engaging the main arm in its upper position and pivotally connected to the post for downward swinging of the brace means when the same is not in use, the main arm having a plurality of openings spaced longitudinally thereof; a plurality of branch arms projecting laterally, outwardly from the main arm, said branch arms being removably engaged in selected openings of the main arm, thus to permit an adjustment in the number of branch arms, and inthe spacing between adjacentbranch arms, each branch arm having a longitudinal. slot; aplurality of clothes supporting elements within the slots ofthe branch arms, said elements being spaced uniform distancesv apart along the length of thevbranch. arms; and cross pins carried by the branch arms and extending transversely within the slots thereof, to support said elements, said elements having spreadable jaws formed with confronting, article-engaging faces lying. transversely of the branch arms.

References Citedin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 69,023 Randall et a1 Sept. 17, 1867 516,504 Moore Mar. 13, 1894 1,792,714 Shields Feb. 17, 1931 1,905,574 Sternberg Apr. 25, 1933 1,919,114 Ley July 18, 1933 2,273,933 Campbell Feb. 24, 1942 2,433,247 Stowell Dec. 23, 1947 2,451,114 Peterson Oct. 12, 1948 2,483,242 Smith Sept. 27, 1949 2,488,903 Edwards Nov. 22, 1949 2,615,579 Sampson Oct. 28, 1952 

